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  • [Skill Class] Knife Skills Bootcamp (5.5 hrs, 4 classes / year)

    "I never thought I could dice an onion so well or julienne vegetables... it completely changed the way I cut, and really enjoyed the process." - Jasmi Hira -
    • Why Join: Boost your cooking productivity forever
    • Protein: Chicken or tofu (for lunch served)
    • Can't Accomodate: All welcome (share your restriction for lunch)
    • Ideal For: Beginner cooks, young adults preparing for independent living, serious home cooks who dont want to be limited by own knife skills
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    Class Information

    Master the blade and take control of your cooking.

    Unlock your culinary potential with our knife skills course! Impress friends and family with perfectly sliced and diced ingredients. Learn Western and Asian techniques and handle knives like a pro. At the end of the workshop, we will turn your perfectly cut elements into https://admin.shopify.com/store/umamifoodstudio/products?selectedView=alldelicious salads. 

    Strict dress code: SHORT NAILS + comfortable clothing and shoes. Tie back long hair, keep jewellery minimal

    Bring your chef's knife (20-25cm): We offer 2 chef knives to use in class for those flying to join the class from CT and Durban.

    Buy your knife online: Global 20cm vegetable knife (Rany's top pick for home cooks)

    Accommodates all dietary requirements: please share your special requirements for lunch

    1. (Theory) Fundamental: Knife types (Western vs Asian), selection, knife sharpening & maintenance tip, kitchen hygiene tip

    2. (Theory) Preparation: Workstation setup, board choice & maintenance

    3. (Practice) Basic cutting techniques and principles: how to hold a knife properly, body position, stabilizing objects to cut, safety rules

    4. (Practice) Different cuts: Push cut, pull cut, top to down cut, mincing, julienne, chiffonade, Japanese sashimi and tataki cuts

    5. (Cooking) Asian slaws & dipping sauce: turning what's been cut into a delicious meal

    1. All sales are final, no refunds are given.

    2. Date changes are allowed if made more than 28 days before the class date. 28-8 days before class, R250 fee per person for changes (or send someone else). 7-4 days before class, R350 fee per person for changes (or send someone else). Within 3 days of class. changes incur 50% of the class fee per person, including for attending immediate family funerals (or sending someone else). Clients have 3 months to book replacement class before the credit expires.

    3. Review dietary information for suitability, especially for groups. No cancellations due to dietary misalignment. Please read the full T&Cs here.

    Customer Reviews

    Based on 18 reviews
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    L
    Lou-Anne V.
    Very hands-on

    Fun class with delicious food served with what we cut. Wish it was little less intense.

    J
    JJ B.
    Lifetime skills in 4 hours!

    Amazing class, delicious food and a lifetime of knowledge.

    P
    Patricia Bispo de Souza
    Best 5 hours spent in kitchen

    When Rany told me I could completely change the way I cook in 5 hours, I didn't believe it. Now I do. I never thought I could cut this well. My food looks like it's done by a chef!

    T
    Tracy Valadao
    Fantastic Value and hands on learning

    When you purchase the best knives but have no idea how to use them, then this class is where you need to be. Rany gives hands on training covering all types of food and you will feel super comfortable cutting and chopping after this course.

    T
    Tracy V.
    So informative

    Buying expensive, quality knives is all good and well, however if you don’t know how to use them properly won’t make your life any easier. Rany gives you hands on lessons on how to get the most out of your knives and which knife is best for what type of food. Always a pleasure having a learning experience at Umami

    M
    Mimi Leventis
    Enjoyed so much

    Joined the training with my foodie son. We had a blast and we've been practicing all weekend. The small group size was a bonus for individual attention, and the food was top-notch.

    T
    Theresa Scott
    I never cut anything this fast

    Thanks for the another awesome class. Enjoyed learning cutting techniques with my son. Can't believe how fast I've become in just one session. Excited to get back in the kitchen!

    L
    Lesley Vieler
    Never thought I will love this for team building!

    The cutting practice was like meditation. It cleared my mind and only focused on that single task. I loved it, and I can't wait to put my new skill into use.

    FAQs

    We are situated in Waterfall Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg: just 5 minutes from The Mall of Africa, and 30 minutes from Johannesburg, Pretoria, and the Airport. Scroll down to view the Google Map in this page.

    Our goal is to boost your home cooking confidence with engaging culinary education, structured into three phases:

    • Reception (15 mins before class): Welcome with our signature drink and potstickers.
    • Preparation & Knowledge Transfer (2.5 hours): Learn ingredient sourcing, prep, and key techniques with lots of tasting and laughters. NO DRINKING during this time.
    • Cooking & Dining (1.5 hours): After the hard work, cook, enjoy the meal, and share laughter.

    We don't have individual cooking stations where all clients get to cook their own, but we cook communally as a team. Your involvement in the class is up to you, depending on whether you prefer to observe, take notes, or get in on the action. Certain classes are way more hands-on than others. Dumpling 101 classes, for example, requires all clients to fold their own dumplings. Each class typically has 12-14 clients, so we are big enough to have fun but small enough to stay intimate.

    For three reasons:

    • Better Learning Experience: We often handle unfamiliar dishes, new ingredients, and new cooking techniques. When clients are fully occupied with hands-on cooking, their ability to absorb new information may diminish, resulting in reduced knowledge retention. With our approach, which combines 50% demonstration and 50% hands-on cooking by volunteers, you benefit from multiple sources of knowledge. You receive instruction from the chef, engage in Q&A sessions with other participants, and learn from volunteers' mistakes. Additionally, experiencing the superbly cooked original recipe provides a reliable reference for your future home cooking endeavors.
    • Catering to Different Learning Styles: We recognize that people learn differently. Some prefer hands-on experience, others prefer observation, and some simply enjoy the meal. Our communal approach accommodates all learning styles and facilitates learning from each other's experiences.
    • Covering More Recipes: A 100% hands-on approach would require additional time for demonstration and replication, limiting class capacity to a maximum of two dishes. Our communal cooking style allows us to efficiently cover 3-4 recipes in a single class.

    Our halal classes are thoughtfully designed to meet Muslim dietary requirements:

    • Pork and Alcohol-Free: We ensure that all dishes are completely free of pork and alcohol, including the ingredients in sauces and condiments.
    • Certified Halal Meat: We exclusively source our meat from certified halal butchers, such as Faheem's Meat & Deli, Forsmay Butcher, and Chalmer Beef.
    • Authentic Flavors: Our classes primarily focus on Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, which traditionally do not use alcohol in their cooking. By substituting the protein source, we make these dishes halal without compromising their authentic flavors. We also modify classes like Korean Fried Chicken to be halal.

    Not Halal-Certified: While we take great care to provide halal options, we are not halal-certified vendor. Additionally, our regular halal classes, which are also open to the public, may include non-Muslim customers who choose to enjoy a glass of wine with their meal.

    For those seeking an entirely alcohol-free environment, we offer private classes for groups of 12-14 or semi-private events with a minimum of 6 people. To arrange a drinking-free halal class, please provide a 2-month notice to help us promote it to our halal clientele.

    Don't let the term "halal" deter you: these classes will offer the same authentic recipes, prepared without pork and alcohol. These classes primarily delve into Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, where alcohol is not typically used in cooking. By substituting the main protein source, we make these classes halal to accommodate Muslim clients without altering the integrity of the original flavors.

    Nothing but healthy appetite and humor; we handle the rest. Arrive on time in comfy clothes and shoes for 4 hours of cooking.

    Yes, but with restrictions: ½ bottle of wine or 2 cans (330ml) of beer per person and no hard liquor.

    Most red wines don't pair nicely with Asian food due to the frequent use of vinegar, acidity, and fermented ingredients. Our all-time favorite is G&T, and we run a G&T bar in the class.

    14 years old: anyone between the ages of 14 and 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

    All sales are final, and no refunds are given. Date changes are allowed if made more than 28 days from the class date. Between 28-14 days, changes will incur a R 200 fee/person. Within 14 days of the class, no date changes can be made under any circumstances. Please send someone else in your place.

    Please review the dietary information for each class to ensure its suitability, especially when booking for a group: we do not accept cancellations due to dietary misalignment. Please read the full Ts & Cs here.

    Due to potential conflicts of interest and the protection of our intellectual property (IP). In the past, our recipes were published in trade magazines, sold to restaurants and catering businesses, used to launch new cooking classes in Limpopo - all without our knowledge.

    Considering the 100 hours invested in developing each class, it is our responsibility to safeguard our IP. Clients will only receive hard copies of recipes and our classes are strictly limited to home cooks.

    Restaurant consulting and chef’s training on specific skills (e.g. stir-frying) are separate services offered, please contact us for more information.

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